Meta Stops Ex-Director from Promoting Critical Memoir

Meta has won an emergency ruling in the US to temporarily prevent a former Facebook director from promoting or further distributing copies of her memoir, Sarah Bell reported for BBC News.

Wynn-Williams’ allegations include claims that Facebook executives worked "hand in glove" with the Chinese government to explore ways for Beijing to censor and control content in exchange for access to the lucrative Chinese market. I Photo: Barnes & Noble (13800 North May Ave, Oklahoma City) Facebook

The book, Careless People, by Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former global public policy director, contains a series of critical claims about her seven-year tenure at the company.

Facebook's parent company, Meta, stated that the ruling—which orders Wynn-Williams to stop promotions "to the extent within her control"—affirms that "the false and defamatory book should never have been published."

UK publisher Macmillan responded, asserting its commitment to "upholding freedom of speech" and Wynn-Williams' "right to tell her story."

The publisher told BBC News that Wynn-Williams had been scheduled for "extensive media" engagements in the UK and internationally but has now been prevented from participating.

At a hearing before the American Arbitration Association (AAA)—a neutral third party that resolves disputes out of court—Wynn-Williams was ordered to refrain from engaging in or "amplifying any further disparaging, crucial, or otherwise detrimental comments."

The ruling also requires her to retract all previous disparaging comments "to the extent within her control."

The book, written by the former New Zealand diplomat, provides Wynn-Williams’ firsthand account of joining Facebook in 2011 and witnessing its rapid growth from a "front-row seat."

Her allegations include claims that Facebook executives worked "hand in glove" with the Chinese government to explore ways for Beijing to censor and control content in exchange for access to the lucrative Chinese market.